Beyond Fear

Although he deputized in addition to anyone might have anticipated for the absent Rob Halford on two later-’90s Judas Priest albums, vocalist Tim “Ripper” Owens was quite brusquely discarded once the steel gods’ reunion programs started falling into place circa 2003. And even though his improbable rags-to-riches tale (he’d been plucked from a Priest cover music group within the depths of Ohio) got even motivated a terribly kitschy (rather than everything that accurate) film within the Tag Wahlberg-starring Rock Superstar, chances were slender that anyone would hang in there for the “…and back again to rags” part of Ripper’s story. Except, probably, for die-hard rock faithful who, regardless of just how much they hungered to visit a Halford-fronted Priest once more, were pleased for Ripper’s many years of program and dignified leave, not forgetting alert to his incredible skill. Most could inform that his following hook-up with Iced Globe for 2004’s The Glorious Burden recording was a relationship of convenience, above all else, and an completely fresh heavy metal music group — materializing in the form of Beyond Dread — was to become his last destination. This started taking form in early 2005, when Owens began working on fresh songs with business lead guitarist John Comprix and, following a recruitment of tempo guitarist Dwane Bihary, bassist Dennis Hayes, and drummer Eric Elkins, relocated quickly through classes for any debut recording cryptically entitled DTO. Released through SPV in-may 2006, the disk not surprisingly presented the same make of melodic but intense, high-caliber rock that Owens experienced performed with both Priest and his pre-tribute music group clothing, Winters Bane, boding well for his continuing achievement — albeit on the slightly smaller level for the present time — for the Ripper.